Machine for slicing pickles



Dec. 16, 1952 c. LANG 2,621,695

MACHINE FOR SLICING PIQKLES Filed July 17, 1950 FIG. 4.

CHARLES G. LANG.

MM M1 ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 16, 1952 MACHINE FOR SLICING PICKLES Charles G. Lang, Baltimore, Md., assignor to C. C. Lang & Son, Inc., Baltimore, Md.

Application July 17, 1950, Serial No. 174,238

1 Claim. 1 This invention relates to means and processes for the slicing of pickles into elongated stringlike pieces.

While it is customary to cut pickles for various occasions and uses into pieces, such pieces are derived cross-sectionally from the pickles.

The use of such pieces is limited to a particular need and the pieces are not suitable for other uses. In this invention, the need of a different type of pickle piece is anticipated, and this, has been to produce strings of pickles instead of sliced cross-sectional pieces. The prior developement of the means to make such stringlike pieces has been interfered with by the variations in size and shape that natural pickles or the vegetable from which they are formed, grow into. In the eucumber class the vegetable is apt in one instance to be straight and regular, but in another it is apt to be curved and variable in diameter. This does involve special requirements, if the stringlike piece is to be cut by hand methods, and is laborious, dangerous, and the uniformity of the resulting article is lacking. The 'need of a device to produce the desired article has not been met previously, for two reasons, (1) the pickle article in the form of a string was not thought of and presented to the public, and (2) a device to cut string pieces from whole pickles was not invented. In this invention, the .string pickle piece was developed and the means employed. to cut a vegetable into such form consists of a simple funnel structure in which knives are radially arranged, and against which the pickle, as a whole is propelled, to be cut.

The object of this invention is to provide a new and improved pickle product and means for making it, that will avoid some of the disadvantages and limitations of the prior art.

' Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved pickle product making means that will be simple in construction, easy to operate and effective in its work.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved pickle string making device that can be operated continuously, will not be wasteful of the pickle, and which can be kept sanitary and under continual observation during use.

Still another object of the invention is to pro vide a new and improved pickle product.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved stringed pickle product.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the invention is more fully disclosed.

For a better comprehension of the invention, objects and operation, reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein a particular form of the invention is indicated. These drawings in conjunction with the following description outline a particular form of the invention by way of example; while the claim discloses its scope.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view, with parts in section. of a cutting device for producing string pickles embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1 partly in section to show its inner construction;

Figure 3 is a detail in perspective of the knife unit used in this embodiment;

Figure 4 is a side view showing the roller support; and

Figure 5 is a view in perspective of a pickle string embodying this invention.

Similar reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the drawings.

In the construction shown in the drawings, stringlike pieces are illustrated as well as the device to make them from a cucumber type of vegetable. The device comprises an elongated funnel-like tube ID with a flange ll formed on its lower portion, large enough to form a base and to be held by bolts I3 to a stand [4. The stand I4 is box shaped and has extending lugs l5 provided as shown, for the bolts [6 to fasten it to a table or surface on which the stand is to be mounted. The top portion ll of the stand is placed uppermost and includes an opening I8, through which the strings 20 of pickle can be passed as made.

The tube I0 is cylindrically shaped outwardly and inwardly, except where it is tapered outwardly at the upper portion 2|. The tapered or funnel portion 2|, serves to guide the whole pickle as it is introduced into the tube. Just below the funnel, the tube is provided with four openings 22 in its wall large enough for four sponge rubber rollers 23 to project partly through. The axes of the rollers are at right angles to each other being arranged in pairs at each end of two diameters of the tube at right angles. Their shafts 25 are journalled in bearings 24 mounted externally of the tube H3. The shafts 25 are extended and have miter gears 26 secured tightly thereon and then meshed into one another so they will operate synchronously and coordinately together. One of the shafts is extended to a position where a pulley 2'! thereon will align with a pulley 28 on a motor 30 and be rotated thereby through the use of a transmission belt 29. The motor 30 is mounted on the upper face of the stand.

About the middle portion of the interior passage I9 of the tube I0, is located a knife unit 31 transversely arranged across the passage. The knife unit consists of a thin circular band 32, from which a series of spaced blades 33 radially extend towards its center. They are tapered on the upper half to enable them to cut and slice the pickle more easily. The whole knife is replaceable and its band can be located in a recess within the walls, if necessary, to avoid in..- terference with the pickle as it is pushed through. The band is held in place by screws 34 inserted from the outside of the tube. The band 32 is preferably split to give it a resilient action and permit it to fit in the recess 35 arranged for it inside the tube. This arrangement is effective in keeping the knife 3| aligned in, a predetermined location and preventing it from slipping. When the pickles are individually pushed down through the tube by the rotation of; the rollers 23 pressing against the exterior surfaces of the pickles they are forced through the knife 31- and cut into strings. The sponge rubber or like material, enables the rollers to automatically conform with the irregular surfaces of the pickle and prevent binding or stopping of the device. Before the pickle is cut into strings the center portion is cut out leaving a hole longitudinally therethrough. The cored pickle is then placed in this device and cut into string pickles as described. The passage is necessary to facilitate the cutting by the knife. The pickle string; 20 isof quasi-wedge shape, with the tapered portion 34, circular byreason of the coring of the pickle 35. The outside face of the string has the skin attached preferably.

While the invention illustrates a particular form of device for making pickle strings, as well as the article itself, it is appreciated that other structures could be-developed and designed that would employ the same principles and come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

A machine for cutting pickles in the form of elongated strips comprising a base, said base having a chamber therein to receive the cut pickles, a hollow tube mounted on and secured to said base, said base having an opening in its upper wall coinciding with the inside of said tube, a cutting unit mounted interiorly of said tube, said unit comprising a plurality of radially arranged blades, said tube having a plurality of pairs of opposite slits in its walls above said cutting unit, means for forcing pickles in said tube through the cutting unit, said means comprising, a plurality of rollers carried externally of the tube and having a portion extending through the aforesaid slits and contacting the outer periphery of the pickles at a plurality of pairs of different points, and means for rotating said rollers in synchronism, said means comprising a motor mounted on the base, a plurality of driving shafts for the rollers mounted on the outer walls of the. tube, gearing. means between the adjoining ends of said shafts, and a connection between the motor and one of said shafts.

CHARLES G. LANG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name. Date 88,790. Kelley Apr. 13, 1869 419,722. Siersdorfer Jan. 21, 1890 678,514 Regnier 1 July 16, 1901 1,064,531 Ott June '10, 1913 1,072,628. Lipscomb Sept. 9, 1913 1,146,085 McVey July 13, 1915 1,194,615 German Aug. 15; 1916 2,209,205 Hjelte July 23, 1940 2,437,637 Bridge Mar. 9, 1948 2,452,810 Uglow Nov. 2, 1948 

